Ruben Palacios/ Contributing Writer
The FIU cross-country team is off and running.
The cross-country team started off the new campaign with a trip to Fort Myers, Fla. to participate in the Florida Gulf Coast University Invitational on Aug. 31.
Hosted by FGCU, the invitational also included Florida Atlantic University, Stetson University and Lipscomb University.
The FIU women’s cross country team kicked off the event in the 5000-meter version of the invitational. Freshman Lauren Gonzalez ran in 19 minutes, 28 seconds. The 11th best time and best time for the Panthers.
Senior Samia Adan ran a time of 20:04, placing her right under her teammate in 11th place. Catherine Ventura, sophomore, ran a time of 20:47, earning a 19th overall finish. Freshman Caroline Straugh, placed 26th overall with a time of 21:31. Krystel Francis, junior, placed 27th overall with a time of 21:36. Desmika White, sophomore, also participated but did not place in the event.
Overall, the women’s team placed 4th out of the five teams. Lipscomb took the 1st place honors, host FGCU followed in second, FAU came in 3rd and Stetson came in 5th place.
The FIU men’s cross country team also participated in the men’s half of the FGCU invite.
The Panthers sent six participants to try and conquer the 8000-meter course. Daniel Puentes, freshman, ran a time of 28:14, placing him 13th overall, the best time by any Panther. Manuel Garcia, freshman, ran a time of 30:04, earning him a 20th place finish. Brandon Ballard, freshman, placed 24th with a time of 31:26. Charlie William-Harris, placed 25th with a time of 31:42. Miguel Delgadillo, senior, placed 26th with a time of 31:43. Brandon Perriman, freshman, participated but did not place in the event.
Like the women, the men placed 4th out of the five teams. Host FGCU placed first, Lipscomb placed 2nd, FAU placed 3rd and Stetson placed last.
The Panthers then set their sights on Tampa, Fla., to participate in the University of South Florida Cross Country Invitational.
The invitational, hosted by USF, included Florida A&M University which only participated on the men’s side, Embry Riddle University, FAU, Nova Southeastern University, University of Central Florida, University of Miami, University of Tampa, Saint Leo University and participating only on the women’s side was Pasco-Hernando Community College.
The women started off the competition. Gonzalez matched her team best finish at the FGCU invite with another team best. She ran a time of 20:14, placing 14th. Ventura ran a time of 21:38, earning her a 41st place finish. Francis ran a time of 22:06, she placed 60th. Adan ran a time of 22:33, she placed 74th. White ran a time of 22:37, she placed 75th. Straugh ran a time of 23:13, she placed 89th.
The women as a team, placed eighth out of 10 teams. Tampa placed first, UCF placed second, host USF placed third, Embry Riddle placed fourth, FAU placed fifth, UM placed sixth, Nova placed seventh, Saint Leo placed ninth and Pasco-Hernando Community College placed last.
The stage was clear for the men to try and improve on their second to last place finish at FGCU.
Garcia ran the best team time for the panthers. Garcia ran a time of 29:01, he placed 36th. Puentes ran a time of 29:46, he placed 44th. William-Harris ran a time of 33:04, he placed 64th. Ballard ran a time of 33:25, he placed 65th. Perriman ran a time of 39:51, he placed 71st. Delgadillo participated but did not place in this event.
The FIU men’s cross country team did not improve on their second to last place finish at FGCU, instead the men finished last in the field of nine. FAMU took the first place crown, Nova placed in second, Embry Riddle placed in third, UM placed in fourth, Tampa placed in fifth, host USF placed in sixth, FAU placed in seventh and Saint Leo placed in eighth.
Student Media attempted contacting head coach Eric Campbell, but were unable to receive comment.
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